A big bowl of ramen noodles at Koiso in Carle Place includes spinach, nori (dried seaweed), half a hard-cooked egg, a big chunk of pork and strips of pickled bamboo. Photo Credit: Newsday / Erica Marcus

The search for ramen on Long Island can be a lengthy one. These tensile, wheat noodles in broth originated in China, were popularized in Japan and have found many fans in the metropolitan area. Here are four local restaurants where the specialty is part of the experience. Slurp away.

Although the main reason to dine at Arata Sushi is stated in its name, this refined and flavorful Japanese restaurant also stands out with noodle dishes. Among those are miso ramen with pork; plump udon noodles thin soba noodles, each in a tasty broth with meat and vegetables.

18 Cold Spring Rd., Syosset; 516-921-8154.

BBD's

It's an unlikely destination for ramen. After all, BBD stands for beer, burgers and desserts. But among the grilled and the steamed, the pork bao buns and the bacon-wrapped onion rings, the chicken-and-waffle burger and the Mike Ditka chili cheese dog, is the "chef's choice of ramen." The dish changes regularly.

Worth tasting year-round: ramen noodles in a lush broth enriched with pork, pickled bamboo, spinach, and one-half of a hard-cooked egg. You'll also be drawn to the tempura soba, which features the buckwheat noodles and fine shrimp tempura. Excellent sushi and sashimi, too.

540 Westbury Ave., Carle Place; 516-333-3434.

SATSUKI

Satsuki's ramen is in the tonkotsu style, with roasted pork and vegetables pork stock-and-soy soup. The competition comes from nabeyaki udon with shrimp tempura, chicken and more. Udon and soba noodles may be ordered either hot of cold.